Sweet 16 party gift & other questions

[dex08]

DH just called and said his coworker gave him an invitation to his daughter's Sweet 16 celebration. I thought this was odd because aren't these kinds of parties for teens and their friends, not the parents' friends? Additionally, what we don't understand is that the invitation mentions a church and time to go there and then a banquet hall they rented and time for that.

Now, forgive me for my ignorance, but when do Sweet 16 parties involve a church?? I am wondering if it's a cultural thing for them? They are Hispanic.

We're wondering what our protocol would be as an invited guest. Do we attend the church thing before the party or skip it? And what kind of gift would you give? DH is friends with the coworker but not really super close. I've rarely heard him speak of doing things together outside of work hours and they don't do lunch together or anything.

 

[micheleq]

IMO, if you don't know the girl turning 16 or are otherwise close to her family (sounds like neither you nor your husband knows her, and you do not know the parents), I think you can politely decline the invitation and not worry about a gift.

Some people just like to throw really big parties, regardless of whom they invite to make it a big to-do.

I am curious about what the church part is though!

 

[java]

Sounds like a Quinceanera- (I believe it's more of a Mexican tradition though as dh's PR family didn't celebrate this)
http://www.quinceanera-boutique.com/quinceaneratradition.htm

It's more religious based vs. what American's do for sweet 16.
And it's more about being there vs. gift- if you google you will get some good ideas. Simple is fine.

 

[tikilyn]

Are you sure it's a sweet 16 party or 15? Hispanic girls have Quinceanera for their 15th birthday and it involves going to a church service. Just picture a wedding just everything is in pink! The girls parents will walk her down the isle, she'll sit as the preacher gives a sermon about growing up or something like that. They'll do some prayers, then a couple of hours later you'll go to the reception.

They're fun to attend, As for the gift, I would just get a card and stuff some money in it. That way you don't have to stress over what to buy her and she can buy whatever her hearts desire. LOL

HTHs

 

[pyrxtc]

I've never known a sweet 16 to have a church part but a Quinceanera does. Is the family Latino ? Maybe it is a special ceremony? If so, they would invite everyone they know like it was a wedding and make it a really big to do if they could afford it.

 

[dex08]

O wow! The Quinceanera celebration sounds very interesting!! Might be fun for us to experience something like this and learn about their culture!

I just left a voicemail for my DH to find out if perhaps that is what this is.

Thanks! I knew someone here on the DIS would know!

 

[malibuconlee]

Sounds like a Quinceanara to me as well. I went to my first last year after moving to El Paso. We were not invited to the church service, but to the part after. You should go just to experience it.

As for gifts, the one we went to we were told later got a lot of clothes or money as gifts. I can't remember what we gave, it was in the $20-$40 range and was cash.

The one we went to the girl had a court, a Junior ROTC contingent in dress, and they did several choreographed dances including the father/daughter. IT was very cool.

 

[dex08]

DH gave me the invitation last night and wow is it fancy for a Sweet 16! Looks like a wedding invitation with RSVP card and all.

Turns out is it NOT a Quinceanara. They are not Mexican. They are Puerto Rican --- and yes, there is a difference. And she is indeed turning 16, not 15.

DH reminded me that his coworker used to play on the same baseball team with him for many years, which I had forgotten. So they are closer friends than I had previously mentioned. So I still don't really get the church thing and all but we have decided to attend. I am hesitant to attend the church part as it's in a very sketchy part of town.

I guess we'll just give her cash as a gift, but now determining how much to give. We are in the Northeast and I know even wedding gifts vary regionally so I assume the gifting value in this area does as well.

 

[malibuconlee]

Sounds interesting.

Our our church, there is a family that left the Catholic church and started attending the Methodist church. One of their daughters was turning 15 so from what I'm told our pastor did a small service for her kind of like she would have had at her old church. Very sweet of him to figure something out for her so she can keep her cultural traditions.

 

[tinker22]

j

 

[pyrxtc]

there is a candle lighting ceremony for the 16th birthday also. But if you go, I would call and ask about dress... it may be being done like a Quinceanera.